Type-writing machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. II. E. CURTIS. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED un. II. 1904.

2 sums-sum 1.

INVENTUH= No. 799,034. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. H. E. CURTIS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1I.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/p/ E? TTEIFINEY UNITED STATES EALENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. CURTIS, OF SYRAOUSE, NEV YORK..ASS1GNOR .lO THE MON- AROHTYPEW'RITER COMPANY, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW' YORK, A OOR- PORATION OFNE\V.YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed March ll, 1904. Serial No. 197,700.

To all whom. ii 'nm/y concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY E. CURTIS, a citi- Zen of the UnitedStat-esand a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsinType-lVriting `Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to type-writing' machines, and more particularly tocase-shifting means for effecting a relative shift between the printinginstrumentalities and the platen and for locking the shifting part inits shifted position when desired; and the object of said invention isto provide simple and efficient means of the character specified.

lo the above and other ends which will hereinafter appear my inventionconsists in the features of construction, arrangements of parts, andcombinations of devices to be hereinafter described,and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying' drawings, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like parts in the various views, Figure 1 is a vertical frontto rear sectional view of sufficient number of parts of one form oftype-writing machine to illustrate my invention in its applicationthereto, the parts being shown in their normal positions. Fig. 2 is adetail side elevation, partly in section, of the shifting mechanism, theviewillustrating the parts as they appear when the segment is shiftedand locked in its shifted position. Figs. 3 and a are detail sideelevations, with parts in section, of portions of the shifting andlocking mechanism. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of themachine, taken on the line fr ,fr of Fig. 1 and looking' in thedirection of the arrow at said line. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail planview, part-ly in section, of the latch vfor the shifting mechanism andcertain `of its associated parts. Fig. 7 is a detail fragmentary planview of the shifting mechanism.

In the present instance I have shown my invention applied to afront-strike type-writing machine, wherein the type-bar segment isshifted vertically to change the position thereof for upper and lowercase writing, though it should be understood that from certain aspectsof my invention it is not limited to a machine of this construction andmay be variously employed to effect a relative shift between theprinting instrumentalities and the platen for lower and upper casewriting.

The frame of the machine comprises the base 1, corner-posts 2, and a topplate 3, and key-levers 4 are pivoted at in the base of 4the machine andare provided with the usual finger-keys and restoring-springs 6. Eachkey-lever has an upright sublever 7 pivoted thereto at S, and the loweiend portion of each sublever is slotted at 9 for the reception of afixed Vfulerum-bar 10, that extends transversely beneath the key-leversfrom side to side of the machine. The upper end of each sublever ispivoted at 11 to a forwardly-extending link 12, which is pivoted at itsforward end, as at 13, toa type-bar 1st. The type-bars are segmentallyarranged and are pivoted on a segmental wire 15 and work in slots 15 inthe segment 16. The forward ends of the type-bars are supported upon apad 1T, which receives its support from rods 18, that project forwardlyfrom the segment 16. Each side of the segment is provided with groovedtracks or guideways 19 for cooperation with antifrietion-balls Q0, thatare likewise received in grooved upright guides 21, secured to the frameof the machine. The segment 16 is likewise provided at each side withforwardly-extending lugs Q2, that have threaded openings therethroughfor the reception of oppositely-disposed set-screws 23, theoppositely-pi'o-iecting inner ends of each pair of set-screwsconstituting abutments for cooperation with an arm 24, secured by screws25 to the upright guides 2l. By these means the segment 16 is limited inits upward and downward movements, and the exact locations of thesegment in its upper and lower case positions may be nicely determinedby an adjustment of the set-screws. A restoringspring 26 for eachtype-bar is secured at one end to a finger 2T, depending from thesupport for the pad 1T, and at its opposite end L8 to a link 29, that ispivoted to the associated type-bar. A suitable carriage (not shown) ismounted to travel from side to side of the machine and supports theusual platen 30. (Diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. l and Q). Thesegment 16 has depending ears or lugs 31, through which threadedopenings extend for the reception of the stems of headed screws 3Q, thatpivotally connect upright links 33 tothe type-bar segment, the lowerends of said links being' pivotally connect-ed at 34 torearwardly-extending crank-arms 35, which project from a rock-shaft 36,that is ICO mounted at its ends on cone bearing-screws 37, which arereceived in threaded openings in the frame of the machine and aresecured against movement in their adjusted position by lock-nuts 38. Theright-hand lock-nut has ratchet-teeth 39 formed on the inner facethereof, which coperatie with ratchet-teeth on the outer face of asleeve 40, which is loosely mounted on the rock-shaft 36. The sleeve 40has an opening in the inner faceA thereof for the reception of one end41 of a coiled spring 42, that surrounds the rockshaf't, and isconnected at its opposite end 43 to the right-hand crank-arm 35 on therock-v shaft, so that the tension of the spring is applied as acounterbalance against the weight of the type-bar segment and the partscarried thereby in order that a slight pressure on the shift-key mayeffect a vertical movement of the segment' and the parts carried therebyto shift the segment from the normal or lowercase position to theupper-case position.

The rock-shaft 36 carries a forwardly-extending crank-arm 44, the upperface or thread 45 of which is slightly curved for coperation with theunder edge of the so-called "temporary shift-key lever 46, and a yoke 47is secured to the crank-arm 44 and embraces the temporary shift-keylever 46 on opposite sides thereof, so as to maintain the parts inoperative relation. The temporary shift-key lever, like the key-leversfor the type-bars, is fulcrumed on the pivot-rod 5 and is provided witha laterally-extendingabutment or trip 48, which in the present instanceconsists of an antifr-iction-roller which is secured to the lever by aheaded screw 49, the stem thereof being received in a threaded openingin said l key-lever and the purpose of which will be hereinafter moreclearly described. It will be understood that a depression of thetemporary shift-key will depress the arm 44, thus rocking the shaft 36,which is effective to shift the segment to the upper-case position. Whenpressure on the finger-key is released, the segment will drop by its ownWeight to the normal position and the key-lever 46 and the associatedparts will be restored to their normal positions.

Beside the key-lever 46 is a so-called permanent shift-key lever 50,that is fulcrumed on the pivot-rod 5 and has a locking latch or device51 pivoted on the side thereof and which is in the nature of agravity-catch. This catch is pivoted to the key-lever 50 by A a headedscrew 52, the stein 53 of which is received in the threaded opening inthe side of the key-lever 50, and a washer 54 is interposed between theside of the key-lever and the side of the gravity-catch or locking-latchin order to separate them. The locking-latch comprises a weighted arm55, a locking-nose i operate with a locking-abutment 58, that is carriedby a fixed portion of the machine and is adjustable thereon. In thepresent instance this abutment comprises a headed `screw, the stemthereof being received in va threaded opening in the frame and is heldin its adjusted position by a lock-nut 59. The abutment 58 being fixedin any position to which it is adjusted` I have referred to this partherein as a fixed abutment Thelockinglatch is normally maintained in theposition illustrated in Fig. 1, where it will be observed that theabutment 48 on the temporary shiftley contacts with the cam or engaging'surface 57 on the locking-latch and maintains it in the position shownin said figure. If at this time the so-called permanent shiftkey isdepressed, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the latch will be moved down withits key-lever 50 and change the positionthereof relatively to theabutment 48, which at this time remains fixed, and the lowest portion ofthe cam or engaging surface 57 on the latch will be brought intocooperation with the abutment 48, and the engaging nose of thelocking-latch will. be permitted to engage under the abutment 58 at thetermination of the depression, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and thepermanent shift-key will thus be locked in its depressed position. Thecrank-arm 44 has a laterallyextending stud or spindle 60, which carriesan antifriction-roller 61, as represented in Figs. 1 and 7, that islocated beneath the permanent shift-key-lever, and a depression of thepermanent shift-key lever causes a depression 1n the arm 44, and thesegment is shifted in the manner 'hereinbefore described. It will thusbe understood that a depression of the permanent shift-key is effectiveto shift the segment for upper-case writingand to effect a locking ofthe parts in the shifted position, as represented in Fig. 2. Should theoperator desire to release the segment and allow it to be restored tothe normal position, it is merely necessary to depress the so-calledtemporary shift-key, and the abutment 48 will be brought into contactwith the highest portion of the cam or engaging surface 57 on thelocking-latch and will act in the nature of a trip to turn the latch onits pivot, thus disengaging the locking-nose from its coperating fixedabutment 58, and the locking-latch being released the parts will berestored to normal positions when pressure on the temporary shift-key isreleased.

The purpose of making the abutment 58 adjustable is .to regulate or timethe engagement and disengagement of the locking-latch with said abutmentto correspond to any adjustments of the set-screws 23 which regulate theshift of the segment or so as to assure proper engagement of thelocking-latch with the abutment 58 under all adjustments of the screws23.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have providedsimple and eiiicient shifting mechanism for effecting' a relativel shiftbetween the printing instrumentalities j and the platen 'for upper andlower case j writingand have provided shiftingmechanism l wherein thereis an assured action of the parts l under various conditions andadjustments and in which there is little liability of the parts being'accidentally displaced when they are locked in the shifted position, asis sometimes the casein other constructions employed for this purpose.Furthermore, it will be seen that the locking-latch 51 is key-controlledand that the key-levers 46 and 5f) and the parts carried therebycooperate with the locking-latch to afford a locking thereof when thelever 50 is depressed, to effect a release from the locked position whenthe level' elfo is depressed, and to afford a shift of the segmentwithout locking when the lever -fo alone is depressed.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention, and certain features thereof may be employed without others.

'hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a. type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series ofltype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisinga fixed abutment carried by a fixed portion of the machine, akey-controlled locking-latch that is adapted to be moved into and out ofcontact with said fixed abutment, and independent key-controlled meansfor tripping said latch to release it.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting' a relative shift between the typebarsand platen for upper and lower case writing, said shifting meanscomprising a fixed abutment carried by a fixed portion of the machine, alocking-latch that is adapted to be moved into and out of contact withsaid fixed abutment, means for effectinga relative adjustment betweensaid abutment and locking-latch, key-actuated means for effecting' anengagement of said latch, and independent key-controlled means fortripping said latch to release it.

3. In a ty pe-writingmachine, the combination of a ty pe-bar segment,and means for shifting said segment, said shifting means comprising anadjustable abutment secured to a fixed portion of' the machine, alocking-latch that cooperates with said abutment to hold the segment inits shifted position and moves into locking engagement with saidabutment by gravity, and hey-actuated means for controlling saidlocking-latch.

In a tvpe-writingmachine, the combination of a` platen, a series oftype-bars, means Vfor effecting a relative shift between the typebarsand platen for upper and lower case writl ing, said shifting meanscomprising two keylevers arranged side by side, a locking-latch on oneof said levers and a cooperating trip on the other, and an abutment withwhich said locking-latch cooperates.

5. In a tyj'ie-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the ty pebarsand platen for upper and lower case writing, said shifting meanscomprising two key-levers arranged side by side, a gravity locking-latchpivoted on one of said levers and a cooperating trip on the other, andan abutment with which said locking-latch cooperates.

6. In a typc-writing machine, the combination ofl a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lowercase writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo keylevers, a gravity locking-latch pivoted on one of said key-leversand adapted to maintain the key-lever to which it is connecteddepressed. a trip connected to the other key-lever and which iseffective to cooperate with the locking-latch to release it from lockedposition, and a fixed abutment with which said lockinglatch cooperates.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars` means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lowercase writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo keylevers and either of which is effective t0 bring about a relativeshift between the type-bars and platen, a locking-latch pivoted on oneof' said key-levers Vand adapted to maintain the key-lever to which itis connected depressed, a trip connected to the other key-lever andwhich is effective to cooperate with the locking-latch to release itfrom locked position and to release the key-lever to which the latch isconnected from the depressed position, and an abutment with which saidlocking-latch cooperates.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo keylevers arranged side by side and either of which is effective tobring about a relative shift between the type-bars and platen, a gravitylocking-latch pivoted on one of said key-levers, a trip on the otherkey-lever, which trip is adapted to cooperate directly with thelocking-latch to release itfrom the locked position, and an adjustableabutment with which said latch cooperates.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of' a type-bar segment,and means for shifting said segment for upper and lower case writing,said shifting means comprising two key -levers arranged side by side andeither of which is effective to shift said segment, a gravitylocking-latch pivoted on one IOO IIO

of said key-levers and adapted to maintain the key-lever to which it isconnected depressed, a trip on the other key-lever and adapted tocooperate directly with said locking-latch to release it from the lockedposition and to release the key-lever to which the latch is connectedfrom the depressed position, an abutment that is secured to a fixedportion of the machine, and means for effecting a relative adjustmentbetween the locking-latch and said abutment.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo keylevers arranged side by side, a locking-latch carried by andpivoted to one of said levers and having a weighted portion that turnssaid latch on its pivot to the locking position, a trip on the otherlever that is adapted to contact with the locking-latch and move it tothe releasing position,and an abutment with which said locking-latchcooperates.

11. Inatype-writingmachine, thecombination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo keylevers arranged side by side and either of Vwhich is effective tobring about a relative shift between the type-bars and platen, the oneto effect a relative shi ft between said parts andv to allow them toresume the normal position when the finger-pressure thereon isreleasedand the other 'to effect a relative shift and to lock theshifted part in the shifted position, a locking-latch carried by andpivoted to one of said levers and having a weighted portion that turnssaid latch on its pivot to the locking position, a trip on the otherlever that is adapted to contact with the lockinglatch and move it tothe releasing position, and a fixed abutment with which saidlocking-latch cooperates.

12. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the ty pebarsand platen for upper and lower case writing, said shifting meanscomprising two keylevers, a rock-shaft, connections from said rock-shaftto the part to be shifted, a crankarm on said rock-shaft and with whichone of said key-levers cooperates to rock the said shaft, alocking-latch carried by and movable on one of said key-levers, a tripcontrolled by the other key-lever and which is effective to release thelocking-latch, and an abutment with which the locking-latch cooperates.

13. In a type-writing machine,the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo key-levers arranged side by side, a rock-shaft, connection from saidrock-shaft to the part to be shifted, a crank-arm on said rock-shaft andwith which one of said key-levers contacts to rock the said shaft, alocking-latch carried by and movable on one of said keylevers, a tripcontrolled by the other key-lever and which is effective to contact withand release the locking-latch, and an abutment with which thelocking-latch cooperates and which is carried by a fixed portion of themachine. y

14. In a type-writing machine,the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for edecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo key-levers, one of which is eiective to actuate the other, arock-shaft, connection from said rock-shaft to the part to be shifted, acrank-arm on said rock-shaft and with which one of said key-leverscooperates to rock the said shaft. a locking-latch carried by andmovable on one of said key-levers, a trip controlled by the otherkey-lever and which is elective to release the locking-latch, and afixed abutment with which the locking-latch cooperates.

l5. In a type-writingmachine, the combination of a platen, a series oftype-bars, means for effecting a relative shift between the typebars andplaten for upper and lower case writing, said shifting means comprisingtwo key-levers arranged side by side and one of whichY is effective toactuate the other and either of which is effective to shift theshiftable part, a rock-shaft, connections from said rock-shaft to thepart to be shifted, a crankarm on said rock-shaft and with which one ofsaid key-levers contacts to rock said shaft, a locking-iatch carried byand pivoted to one of said key-levers, a trip carried by the otherkeylever and ad apt-ed to contact with said latch and turn on its pivotto the releasing position, and an adjustable abutment carried by a fixedportion of the machine and with which said locking-latch is adapted tocooperate.

16. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a shiftable type-barsegment, adjustable means for regulating the extent of shift of saidsegment, two key-levers, a lockinglatch pivoted to one of saidkey-levers, a trip carried by the other of saidv key-levers, an abutmentwith which said locking-latch cooperates, and means for effecting anadjustment between the said abutment and lockinglatch.

Signed at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,this 9th day of March, A. D. 1904.

HENRY E. CURTIS.

Witnesses:

PERGY RIDINGS, CHAs. H. COOKE.

IOO

